The 3-2-1 Method For Grilling Ribs On A Gas Grill

If you're getting ready to cook ribs on a gas grill, try following the 3-2-1 method. It's perfect for beginners because the 3-2-1 timing is easy to remember. All you'll need to do is let your ribs smoke for three hours, wrap them in foil for two hours, add your sauce, and then smoke them for one more hour. The result is tender and delicious, practically falling off the bone.

You don't need to have a lot of experience or expertise to grill ribs using this simple method, but there is some preparation involved. You'll need to trim and season your ribs to get them ready for the grill. You can use a dry rub, marinade, or simple salt and pepper to bring out the meat's flavor. You'll also need to gather your tools, including a gas grill, foil, and your desired sauce.

This method requires little hands-on time and plenty of time on the grill. You can customize the flavors using different spice rubs or sauces, such as this smoky sweet short rib recipe that features a dry rub and sticky sauce. Luckily, it's easy to apply the 3-2-1 method to any rib recipe.

While the 3-2-1 method typically works best with a smoker, you can execute this with a gas grill as well. You'll want to set up your grill for two-zone cooking, also known as indirect cooking. To do this, turn your two right burners to low heat, but don't touch the remaining three burners on the left. After applying your dry rub, add your ribs to the left side of your grill. This cooks the ribs low and slow, resulting in very flavorful meat.

Since it can be tough to retain heat on a gas grill, you'll need to pay special attention to the temperature to ensure that it stays at 225 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook the meat for three hours so it's cooked through to a safe temperature, and leave the lid closed to keep the grill warm. After three hours, take the ribs off the grill and wrap them in foil. Then place them back on the grill (in the indirect heat again) with the meat side down for an additional two hours. This step is critical to get the meat extra tender because the foil locks in moisture.

The final step involves adding your favorite sauce. Remove the ribs from the wrapped foil package. Cover them in sauce and put them on the grill for just one more hour, because any longer could risk burning the sauce. This allows the sauce to caramelize and create a delicious exterior. When you take the ribs off, let them rest for around 15 minutes before digging in. This keeps all of the juices inside the meat, which retains moisture and flavor.